BATIM-Memory of an Artist
by sweetsilverdusk
Summary: The First Encounter with the Projectionist.


I've been feeling a bit neglected in my writing lately...  
This is kind of a short one-shot. I'm not exactly sure where this came from... heheheh.  
Please R&R!

Henry didn't exactly know what he was expecting to see has he made his way down to the depths of the studio. As a matter of fact, he was getting sick and tired of running all over the studio fetching stuff for "Alice" and hiding from Bendy when he made his appearance more than once.

He rubbed his palms together while leaning against the wall of the elevator as it made its rickety descent. He could feel Boris' eyes watching him, the toon clearly worried about what they were going to get themselves into.

"Do you have any idea what's down there, Boris?" Henry asked, even though he knew it was futile.

The wolf could only shake his head as a response, the bone still clenched between his teeth. Even if the poor wolf didn't have the bone, he wouldn't have been able to talk anyway. The toon, unlike the other creatures Henry had encountered within the studio, was the only one who seemed to be on his side, but was the only one who couldn't communicate, except for the occasional nod or other form of body language.

When "Alice" first spoke to them, Boris had hidden behind Henry in fear, covering his eyes with his hands and crouching down slightly. Even when Bendy had appeared out of nowhere and tried to grab Henry through the bars of the elevator, the wolf never let out a sound, only crouching down again for fear of his life.

Even so, it was a comfort, knowing that as soon as they were done here, "Alice" would assist them, in a strange way.

The elevator came to a shuttering halt then. The doors creaked open as Henry poked his head out the doors. They were on a platform of sorts, not long, with a set of stairs the looked like they descended downward. One of the Edgar clones was laying near the steps, unmoving.

Henry turned to look at his companion before asking, "Not coming this time?"

Boris shook his head again, fear in his inky pie-cut eyes. Henry nodded, understanding, thinking he should have made Boris braver than the jokester, other than Bendy of course. Would have come in handy to have a brave wolf.

Taking his first steps out of the elevator, Henry slowly made his way toward the stairs, keeping a close eye on the Edgar Clone. The creature didn't move an inch as the man crept closer and closer.

He poked the creature with the end of his axe, jumping back slightly in case it woke up. When it didn't move, Henry looked back at Boris, confused. The wolf could only shrug and scratch his head.

Apparently, he was just as confused, and worried, about what they were supposed to do.

Henry stepped closer before kneeling next to the corpse. The Edgar clone was laying on his back, his head against the safety bars of the staircase. His chest had been torn opened to reveal his ribcage and inky innards. Henry grimaced at the sight before realizing the clone was holding something in one hand.

Henry pried the hand open to reveal an ink covered heart. It looked like a human's heart, but the veins of the organ were as black at the ink that flowed through the studio. Henry slowly pulled the heart out of Edgar's grasp, looking it over.

Was this what "Alice" sent him to fetch?

Henry sighed. Christ, this was going to be disgusting, especially if he was going to have to pry the creature's chests open in order to get them.

A loud screech pulled Henry from his thoughts. He jumped up and looked out over the railing just in time to see a Fischer clone get snatched up by a large inky creature. The ink creature looked tall, about 6 foot, but it was hard to judge since the Fischer clone was only about three feet tall. It also had long lanky arms and small hands that held a firm grip on the clone and large feet that sloshed the lake of ink on the depths below.

But what was most curious about this creature was the projector that sat on its shoulders. The light flashed angrily on the clone as the creature let out another screech before the body of the Fischer clone was pulled apart. Henry watched in horror as the creature dropped the shredded body into the lake before it turned and disappeared down the corridor where it came from originally.

 ** _"_** ** _Shh! There he is… the Projectionist,"_** Alice Angel's voice sounded over the speakers, startling Henry.

At first, he thought that the Projectionist would hear Alice speak, but he didn't appear, only continuing on his path in between the corridors.

 ** _"_** ** _You best stay out of his light if you wish to survive,"_** Alice continued, **_"Just fetch what I need and return to me."_**

Henry turned to look at Boris, who had hunkered down, most likely from either the screeching Projectionist or Alice's voice, and was hiding behind his hands again. Henry sighed and turned to see a cloth bag that had been left abandoned on the railing.

He dropped the inky heart in the bag before picking it up and making his way down the steps. If Alice wanted the hearts, Henry was going to get them for her, even if it was the last thing he did.

Finding the hearts in general were no problem, as they were mostly laying next to or near the destroyed corpses of the butcher gang clones. The only issue Henry had was avoiding the Projectionist as well as finding the corpses.

Apparently, the Projectionist couldn't hear anything, so Henry was lucky to avoid him. But when his light came close, Henry made sure to duck inside the Little Miracle Stations that were spread throughout the hidden cavern on the inky lake.

Henry had just snatched up the last heart when Alice's voice broke over the intercom, **_"That should be plenty! Return them to me… and try not to DIE on the way back."_**

Henry shivered, heaving the ink dripping sack over his shoulder and prepared to leave the caverns.

As he exited, he noticed a tape recorder that he didn't notice before when he first made his way down. He looked around, checking to see if the projectionist was around before looking back at the recorder.

He had… a little time. Maybe it could give him a clue as to how to get out. Henry pressed the play button.

The machine crackled before a well-known voice broke through the crackling. It was Norman Polk, the old projectionist himself, _"Now, I'm not lookin' fer trouble. It's just the nature of us projectionists to seek out the dark places. Ya see, I've learned the ins and outs of this here studio. I know how to avoid being bothered by the likes of this… company."_

Norman's voice continued onward, _"That projectionist, they always say, creepin' around. He's just lookin' fer trouble. Well, trouble or no, I see's everythin'. They don't even know when I'm watchin'… even when I'm right behind 'em."_

Suddenly, a flashing light hit Henry on the back and a loud screeching sound erupted from behind him. He turned to see the Projectionist racing toward him, light flashing angrily and nearly blinding him.

Henry took off, running as fast as he could through the inky water. Loud splashing filled the cavern as the chase began.

Henry was near the stairs when he tripped, dropping his bag. Before he could grab it and stand again, an inky hand grabbed him by the suspenders, pulling him upward. He was turned to face the projector that continued to flash angrily at him as the projectionist studied him.

This was it. He was a goner. Henry would never again see the light of day.

Then, the projectionist did the strangest thing.

It cocked its projector head to the side, clicking noises running through the machine. It then released Henry as a garbled voice broke through the speaker on its chest, so soft that the man almost didn't catch it, **_"H… EN… RY?"_**

The man looked at the creature, confused. Did he know him?

 ** _"_** ** _H… EN… RY… I…IT'SSS MMME… NNNORMMANNNN…"_**

The voice was cut off by a loud screech again. Henry was released as the creature gripped its projector as if in pain.

Henry wasted no time grabbing the bag and climbing the stairs. Once out of the projector's light, he took the time to catch his breath. What in the world was going on? What was that thing? And why… why did it suddenly release him?

Henry looked over the railing to see the creature slowly make its way back into the darkness. No, that was Norman Polk… or whatever was left of him.

He turned and finished climbing the stairs. At the last step, Boris was waiting for him, fear in his eyes. The cartoon wolf hugged Henry as he approached, who in turn, returned the hug.

The wolf then pulled the creator toward the elevator, closing the door and pressing the button to return them to Alice Angel. Henry sighed as the elevator made its ascend before sitting on the floor of the elevator, looking up at Boris.

"Once we get done with Alice, I need you to tell me what you know, Boris."


End file.
